While I do not condone what Kevin Warren has done making hoax emergency phone calls, (Times, page five, last week) I have to agree with his mum.

Kevin has lived next door to me for more than 10 years and in that time I have known of him being bullied constantly at one school, then another, and being the butt of jibes and physical abuse.

When he found a job at one of our local eateries he again was the victim of hurtful taunts, witnessed by my daughter, who tried to stand up for him. After weeks they both left.

I feel the hoax calls were a cry for help, and that it was picked up on quickly, before anything tragic happened.

I can say that he has never once said a bad word to me and has always been quiet, polite and helpful.

I have never seen him out in the street drunk or worse and his appearance has always been immaculate.

Compare that to some 18-year- olds nowadays who don’t try to find work, that hangaround the streets, the drug takers and dealers that now live in our village, the druggies who break into our homes and steal from us to get there daily fix.

Compare what he has done to these types. Yes, he was wrong and he has owned up, so all of you who judge him remember the saying “There for the grace of God go you”, or even yours.